Business Plan 2009/2010

Overview

Upcher Community Partnership Ltd was formed in November 2008 to become the Local Area Partnership (LAP) for Sheringham and its Seven hinterland Parishes. It replaced Sheringham Local Area Partnership, which operated under the overall management of SheringhamPlus. At the point of formation Upcher Community Partnership had a management Board of 4 people, and assets to be transferred from SheringhamPlus Ltd. This first management Board were tasked with developing the foundations of an organisation that would be 'fit for purpose'. Structures, policies, staffing, financial management proceedures and office facilities were in place by March 2009, and core funding secured from North Norfolk Community Partnership to March 2010.

The main tasks in the next 12 months are

To develop with partners an effective and appropriate programme of community based projects
To improve the future sustainability of the organisation
To allow greater community "ownership" of the partnership organisation

The key taks considered within this business plan are

To widen the membership of the managemnet board and members' group to ensure skilled governance and good strategic decisions that enable the delivery of agreed outcomes
To improve community accountability:

-Board members to stand for election

-Action Plan approved by community members

-Targets set for membership scheme

To apply and develop the agreed structures and policies to support an effective and accountable organisation on its role as a vehicle for community development
To communicate with the growing membership so that they may act as enthusiastic champions of Upcher Community Partnership
To register as a Charity
To ensure that all those involved in the partnership are aware of the needs, strengths and opportunities of the partnership area, and its unique features
To define community objectives and draw up an Action Plan to support those objectives
To create a funding strategy that enables the development and implementation of projects identified within that action Plan
To facilitate local links with partner organisations and other projects that meet the goals identified by the Upcher Community Partnership
To contribute to the wider community strategies of Norfolk
To foster staff and volunteer development

Effectively since October 2008 a new area partnership has been created as Upcher Community Partnership, led by a new Board and staff. Successful progress has been made and lessons learnt in the process. Over the next year Upcher Community Partnership will fulfil its coordinating function with excellent community accountability and two way engagement and will focus on delivering its objectives. North Norfolk Community Partnership is asked for their full support to allow the Upcher Community Partnership to develop into a strong and vibrant organisaton, thereby effectively adding value to existing activity and acting as the catalyst to acheive resilient and active communities.

Structure Status and Management

Incorporated by Companies House as the Upcher Community Partnership Ltd, a company limited by guarantee, company number 6747366. Charity status has been applied for and discussions with the Charity Commission are ongoing. It may be necessary to amend our company objectives.

Upcher Community Partnership Ltd has a voluntary Board of Directors. They will serve until the first AGM, when all directors will stand for election. The directors' responsibility is to Companies House, funders, and if charitable status is granted, to the charities commission for financial probity of the company and the probity of its systems and processes. The Board of Directors drives the strategic directon of Upcher Community Partnership.

A new stakeholder/representatives group was convened in 2009, inviting attendance from all known organisations within the partnership area. This group determines the frequency of its meetings, its membership and its chairperson. It will have an overview of the partnership action plan, give advice on strategic direction and receive reports on project development, as well as receiving input from speakers. It will be a forum to share information and a networking group. Meetings are currently on a 6 weekly basis, and one will include the Annual General Meeting of Upcher Community Ltd. The meetings are notified to the local media and parish council magazines and are open to individuals and organisations, whether or not they are members of the Upcher Community Partnership Ltd. Some meetings are held in Sheringham, but these will circulate around the parish halls where available.

Membership of the company includes the directors as well as stakeholder organisations and individuals. There are Currently 34 members. Their votes count at the AGM. Membership costs £5 for organisations and £3 for individuals, although Board Directors are given honorary membership. Membership fees are passed on to the Upcher small grant fund (Community Chest).

Working groups to develop and support projects are convened as required.

The Board of Directors has the key responsibilities and therefore decisions that affect those responsibilities need to be approved by that body. However whenever possible, the Board will seek concensus amongst partners before taking final decisions that affect the wider partnership. Project management on a day to day basis is led by the partnership manager, working with volunteer project supporters and the stakeholders' group.

The initial Board members were selected by the representatives group of Sheringham Local Area Partnership in September 2008. They included two parish council members, a town councillor and a representative of the Chamber of Trade and Commerce. Two Board members have since resigned as the initial set up phase has been completed.

Since January 2009 new board members have been appointed with skills to suit the developing stages of the partnership. Board membership included the requirement from funders for certain representatives at Board level. All Board members must step down at the first AGM, to be held within 18 months of its incorporation in November 2008, and any may stand for re-election. Thereafted one third of the directors can be replaced each year by members of the partnership. Signed up members are eligible to vote.

Selection of working groups depends on areas of interest of those wishing to serve on themed groups.

Vision Statement and Objectives

Upcher Community Partnership's vision is to enhance the standard of living and quality of life for the inhabitants of the town and hinterland parishes in order to encourage a sustainable and resilient community.

The focus of its work is to foster community self help and participate in the planning and delivery of its objectives. It will work with partners to develop and deliver a community action plan that meets identified community needs and will seek funding opportunities for schemes within that Action Plan.

The partnership will develop its own funding opportunities to ensure it is in a strong position to coordinate the delivery of the Action Plan.

During its lifetime it will encourage, support and supplement statutory and other providers of the following.

Schemes to regenerate/enhance the built and natural environment
Additional employment opportunities
Schemes to market the Area's advantages/opportunities as a light industry, retail,cultural and tourism base
The enhancement and expansion of tourist/visitor accommodation
An increase in education and training opportunities in order to enhance the local skills base and promote personal interests and development
Schemes to enhance the breadth and quality of retail provision
Schemes to improve transport within and to the area
Schemes to extend sporting and other leisure facilities for all, and to improve health through sport and leisure activities
Schemes to improve access to and from the countryside
Provision of opportunities for cycling and walking safely in the area
Consultations for long range planning, land use and other matters that affect the areas and its inhabitants

The priorities for the next 12 months are:

to continue to engage and raise a knowledge and understanding of the partnership to the community
encourage a closer relationship between the partnership and other partners to support and help coordinate local organisations and groups to access funding to make projects viable
to increase the number of members and encourage closer relations in the local community and across the neighbouring parishes
to continue to identify the community's needs
to promote and expand "Experience Sheringham"
to receive the assets of Oddfellows Hall and to have a business strategy in place for the next 3 years
to market Oddfellows Hall as an events venue so to enable the asset to be sustainable
to continue to protect and conserve the environment
to investigate the need for improved access to the larger marker town
to conduct a visitor survey and work with our partners to improve and enhance the retail access and provision
to maintain and expand the shop as an information portal for the area as a whole
to explore the possibility of making the shop self sustainable

Meeting the Local Need

Upcher Community Partnership is preceded by Sheringham Area Partnership and SheringhamPlus Community Partnership Ltd. Both these bodies undertook resent reseach with communities within the partnership area, the most recent an Area Partnership Questionnaire-Community consultation amongst 400 residents.
The most urgent need for this organisation is to operate a strong and innovative LAP body in order to deliver an appropriate and well funded local action plan based on indicators of local need. An effective action plan can allow a local area partnership to move quickly to meet with short term community needs, as well as plan for longer term actions.
Consultation is ongoing with parish and town councils, the chamber of trade, voluntary organisations and members of the public so that determining local need is an ongoing process.
Many long term needs have been indentified in work by other organisations.

Public Interface

The office premises stand at the heart of Sheringham and are used on average by about 200 people per month, so catering for face to face public interaction is a primary consideration for future planning. We will seek funding for future support for this aspect of our work. We may need to redesign the working spaces in order to seperate the important function of public interface from other work undertaken by the staff and volunteers.

An active membership and strong public interface is a key characteristic of this area partnership and gives an immediacy in its communications with its stakeholders. More formal communications channels include regular open meetings. A new web site www.upchercp.co.uk is a key source of information on the activities of the partnership as well as a document library. Media links are actively encouraged, resulting in frequent positive reports in the local media and parish magazines.

The partnership manager regularly meets individual groups, and there are strong contacts with businesses.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Upcher Local Area Partnership was formed in 2008 as a limited company. The Upcher Partnership is required to submit the accounts and an annual returns and its Annual Accounts to Companies House at the end of the financial year. The Annual Accounts are independantly examined by professional accountants Tony Larner Accountants of Sheringham.

The Partnership is overseen by the Board which meets at present on a monthly basis, and scutinises all the operations of the partnership.

The Partnership is accountable to the membership group who monitor the progress of the action plan.

North Norfolk Community Partnership scrutinises the Annual Business Plan, submitted to them by the Upcher Area Partnership at the end of the year.

Sustainability Plan

The decrease in funding from NNCP would put Upcher Community Partnership at great risk, as Upcher experienced a late start this makes us more vulnerable. Measures are in place to help with income to the office to lessen overall risk.